(Gone) RGN - SFO in F $450 one way AI; other N. America cities included
May 14, 2012, 6:00 am
#3272
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: DEN
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy Titanium, CX DM, SQ Gold
Posts: 1,607
Update:
TG staff were expecting me at the check-in counter. As soon as I presented my passport a supervisor was flagged. She says LX contacted the station several hours ago to tell them not to board me and indicate that the ticket will not be honored.
The TG people were very nice, actually and I returned the courtesy.
The TG supervisor went to bat for me but LX wouldn't budge.
First I cash-paid to change the date on my return sector from another BKK-RGB return flight I have in the system so I can get home. I got to the lounge (with horrible WiFi reception, getting like 1 bar and it keeps dropping).
Then suddenly the TG supervisor came to look for me in the lounge and give me back my money. Saying something along the lines of "we changed your other RGN-BKK back to next week and refund you the change fee because I convinced LX to honor at least your RGN-BKK sector on TG306. When you arrive in BKK, go to the LX counter in transit area, they want to have a word with you."
I asked her why she thinks LX wait until 7 hours before my flight departs to decide not to honor my duly issued (and over 10 day old) ticket.
She explained to me that there was a dramatic change in exchange rates and LX apparently got caught off guard.
This trip is awesome!
I am boarding in an hour and still don't know if I will sleep in ZRH or BKK tonight.
Takin' one for the team here ^^^^
My first impression of Myanmar is cool. I found a good local travel agent and sourced a reliable taxi driver (tested a few today and they were better than most you find in BKK though sharks and touts do exist here, make no mistake).
I will definitely come back here in the near future and spend a week or so.
May 14, 2012, 6:03 am
#3273
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,127
KE have acted magnificently - from a business perspective.
They know this is very different to the previous cancelled fares, and so once they realised, they did something about it. Instead of taking responsibility themselves, they've sent a blanket email to the TAs saying "cancel all these fares, they're not valid. If you don't we'll be very angry."
Suddenly it's brown trousers time for the work experience kid who gets the email, and the majority of the TAs cancel the tickets without even considering the consequences.
All of a sudden, 2/3 of KE's tickets are cancelled, and they haven't touched a single one personally; leaving the TAs holding the smoking gun.
Granted from a consumer perspective it's terrible, and having this back and forth and blame-game is a waste of everyone's time; but it's a genius move from KE.
They know this is very different to the previous cancelled fares, and so once they realised, they did something about it. Instead of taking responsibility themselves, they've sent a blanket email to the TAs saying "cancel all these fares, they're not valid. If you don't we'll be very angry."
Suddenly it's brown trousers time for the work experience kid who gets the email, and the majority of the TAs cancel the tickets without even considering the consequences.
All of a sudden, 2/3 of KE's tickets are cancelled, and they haven't touched a single one personally; leaving the TAs holding the smoking gun.
Granted from a consumer perspective it's terrible, and having this back and forth and blame-game is a waste of everyone's time; but it's a genius move from KE.
Fast forward 10 years, now you have the ability to book everything online, either with the airline directly or some mega online portal mosters like Expedia or Orbitz. If you factor in the consumer protection that has sprung, the airlines have very little wiggle room since the big portals tell them to go suck an egg when error fares crop up. Usually this is OK since in the process of taking everything online they are saving themselves millions in TA commission.
The reason why KE is still trying this is probably the online TAs involved are not real big key accounts to them and/or the damage was big.
May 14, 2012, 6:16 am
#3274
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Seattle & Seoul.... and now, Maastricht....
Programs: UA Mileage Plus, NWA WorldPerks deserter, Alaska Airlines Something-er-Other...
Posts: 1,882
May 14, 2012, 6:17 am
#3275
Join Date: May 2005
Location: YYZ
Posts: 204
Update:
TG staff were expecting me at the check-in counter. As soon as I presented my passport a supervisor was flagged. She says LX contacted the station several hours ago to tell them not to board me and indicate that the ticket will not be honored.
(...)
Then suddenly the TG supervisor came to look for me in the lounge and give me back my money. Saying something along the lines of "we changed your other RGN-BKK back to next week and refund you the change fee because I convinced LX to honor at least your RGN-BKK sector on TG306. When you arrive in BKK, go to the LX counter in transit area, they want to have a word with you."
TG staff were expecting me at the check-in counter. As soon as I presented my passport a supervisor was flagged. She says LX contacted the station several hours ago to tell them not to board me and indicate that the ticket will not be honored.
(...)
Then suddenly the TG supervisor came to look for me in the lounge and give me back my money. Saying something along the lines of "we changed your other RGN-BKK back to next week and refund you the change fee because I convinced LX to honor at least your RGN-BKK sector on TG306. When you arrive in BKK, go to the LX counter in transit area, they want to have a word with you."
Looking forward to your report from BKK!
Takin' one for the team here
---
The reason why KE is still trying this is probably the online TAs involved are not real big key accounts to them and/or the damage was big.
Last edited by yyzjake; May 14, 2012 at 6:23 am
May 14, 2012, 6:19 am
#3276
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,401
May 14, 2012, 6:29 am
#3277
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,127
Opodo and Travelocity are giant TAs that are also divisions of GDS companies. I think the latter is probably the reason, but that's conjecture, because I'm not sure how the airlines have to compensate each other. Do they each get a piece of the $35 pie, or does KE have to pay TG (for example) some prescribed rate for F travel RGN-BKK.
AFAIK/R the airlines split the intake dividing it up by miles/units they transported the passenger. So if 1000 NUC were collected for a 10 000 mile trip, carrier A gets 100 NUC for flying the first segment that was 1000 miles long. I recall OS stopping to fly INN-FRA to feed LH since the base fare on some tickets was so low they only got 20-30€/pax they transported into FRA to connect to a longhaul flight that had a basefare of 200-300€. YQ is kept by the issuing/plating carrier, so it doesn't matter.
May 14, 2012, 6:39 am
#3278
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC, FLL
Programs: UA PP 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Gold
Posts: 6,300
Thanks, and very good luck to you.
(Are we expecting to see LX 'have a word' with everyone? I wouldn't think that's feasible...Considering all the airlines these tickets were purchased through (DL/SA/EK/etc)*, I guess it's a case by case basis - and waiting for the dust to settle a little more).
*To the google form statistics gatherer: how many airlines issued tickets in the data you have so far?
(Are we expecting to see LX 'have a word' with everyone? I wouldn't think that's feasible...Considering all the airlines these tickets were purchased through (DL/SA/EK/etc)*, I guess it's a case by case basis - and waiting for the dust to settle a little more).
*To the google form statistics gatherer: how many airlines issued tickets in the data you have so far?
May 14, 2012, 7:06 am
#3282
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,373
Then suddenly the TG supervisor came to look for me in the lounge and give me back my money. Saying something along the lines of "we changed your other RGN-BKK back to next week and refund you the change fee because I convinced LX to honor at least your RGN-BKK sector on TG306. When you arrive in BKK, go to the LX counter in transit area, they want to have a word with you."
ld up their end of the contract for travel that you entered into with them. If the ticket is to a destination in the US then any subsequent change to the fare would absolutely be in violation if the new DOT rules.
May 14, 2012, 7:35 am
#3284
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,026
You can certainly try web check-in on Korean Air's site. You can't see the whole itin, but you should see something there.
May 14, 2012, 7:36 am
#3285
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO / JFK
Programs: Variety of rectangular cards with my name on it
Posts: 665
